Harborton Street Housing

In 2023, Oregon State University (OSU) began designing a new, 77-unit housing complex for its thriving Hatfield Marine Science Center. In three years, the number of students at the coastal campus in Newport skyrocketed from 100 to more than 500. Harborton Street Housing addresses the area’s critical need for workforce housing and provides a safe alternative to the school’s existing bunkhouses within the tsunami zone.

The new housing is expected to serve a wide range of needs, including upper-division and graduate students taking classes or participating in research projects at Hatfield, as well as faculty researchers, instructors, and teaching assistants, visiting researchers, and other mission partners.
 
Structurally, MPP forms the floors and ceilings of the three-story building, providing an efficient and durable solution for the modern build. By prefabricating the panels off-site, Mass Ply also allowed the design builder to save time and cut costs.

After several years of commitment and hard work, the complex officially opened its doors following a ribbon-cutting ceremony in early October 2025. The building’s beautiful collection of studio and two-bedroom apartments will serve the short- and long-term housing needs of faculty, students, and visiting professionals. And thanks to a spacious five-acre lot, there is ample space for future expansion, as needed.

For more information, visit the MPP manufacturer Freres' case study.